Meal Prep Sunday: 5 Essentials to Get You Through the Week

If you’ve got kids, you know how hard it can be to get a healthy meal (that everyone will actually eat) on the dinner table each evening. Whether you don’t get home from work until well after dinner should be started, your kid’s activities dominate your evening, or you’ve got a host of picky eaters, some meal prep at the beginning of the week can help you have happier, healthier dinners through the week.

This weekend, consider spending your Sunday afternoon doing some meal prep to whip up the basics below that you can use as a base for your weeknight meals.

{ MORE: Got a New Eater? Here’s What to Pack in Your Baby’s First Lunchbox }

Shredded Chicken

Shredded chicken takes little more than chicken breasts, a few spices of your choice, and a few hours in the crockpot.  Throughout the week you can turn your shredded chicken into several 15-minute meals, including chicken tacos, chicken over salad, BBQ chicken sliders, or chicken nachos.

Roasted Vegetables

Roasting vegetables before the start of the week is one of the easiest ways to make sure you’ve got something healthy on your plate each night. All you need to do to prepare a week’s worth of roasted vegetables is select the vegetables you enjoy most (consider broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, onions, or squash), slice and drizzle them with olive oil, and pop them in the oven!

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs might not be the most exciting food, but they can easily be added to a salad or eaten for a quick breakfast or snack when you’re stomach is growling. Eggs can also provide much-needed protein to keep you feeling full for longer.

Sliced Fruit

Most young children eat fruit several times per day. Instead of slicing one or two pieces of fruit each day, consider taking an afternoon and slicing everything your kiddos will eat throughout the week. Many fruits, such as cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, and apples all store well after they’ve been sliced.

Rice or Pasta

Rice and pasta are both very versatile foods. While you might eat your rice under broth, chicken, or vegetables, pasta can be made into several different meals just by changing up what sauce you’re using.

Have any meal prep tips of your own?